Jaclyn Smith, the only original Angel to appear in every episode of Charlie's Angels, has described the show's 50-year legacy as a surprise, reflecting on the fun, friendship and frustration of the series in a new interview.
Smith, now 80, has written a memoir titled I Once Knew a Guy Called Charlie, in which she discusses her career, her childhood, and her time on the show that made her famous. Speaking over Zoom, she comes across as sensible, hardworking and optimistic, crediting her secure family upbringing for her values.
From dancer to detective
Smith originally wanted to be a dancer and trained at a dance school in Houston run by Patsy Swayze, mother of actor Patrick Swayze. She describes an idyllic childhood with supportive parents and a grandfather who was a Methodist minister. Her father, a dentist, gave her a work ethic, while her mother made her feel special.
After school, she moved to New York to train as a dancer, living at the women-only Barbizon hotel, which had strict rules. She recalls the competitive nature of the dance world but notes that auditions were more accessible then than today.
The Charlie's Angels years
Smith was the last to be cast in Charlie's Angels, playing Kelly Garrett, and initially offered $3,000 an episode, less than co-stars Farrah Fawcett and Kate Jackson. She demanded equal pay with Fawcett and got it, later earning $100,000 an episode by the fifth season.
The show was an instant hit in 1976, with Smith noting it was different because it featured three women chasing danger instead of being rescued. She defended the show against criticism of objectification, saying the characters were hardworking and courageous, and that it was fun escapism.
Friendship and challenges
Smith says the original three Angels got on instantly, with no jealousies, and became lifelong friends. She experienced sexual harassment in the industry but says she was never desperate for a career and could walk away. She also faced stalking and had many restraining orders after the show ended.
By the final season, Smith found the show less fun, partly due to drug use on set, particularly cocaine. She says she stayed distant from it and focused on her work.
Life after Charlie's Angels
After the show ended in 1981, Smith fought to play Jacqueline Kennedy in a TV biopic, overcoming typecasting. She later had a successful fashion and interiors brand and has been married to Brad Allen since 1991, saying she finally recreated her parents' happy marriage.
Her memoir is already out in the US, and Smith has enjoyed meeting women who grew up with the show, hoping it gave them a chance to be brave and independent.
